Land O'Lakers: Pau stays, Shawne goes, Kobe's All-Star plans, phobias, and a new role for Jim Buss?

Summary: I won't lie. These are difficult times for the Lakers. The future, whether for Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, or the franchise as a whole, is uncertain at best. Fans are growing restless. And the losses continue to pile up. Were it not for this podcast, the season would be downright unbearable. You're welcome. The show can be heard by clicking on the module and a list of talking points can be seen below. * We take a look at the latest headlines. J.R. Smith and Shoelace-Gate. (In related news, the Knicks are now shopping Swish.) Ray Allen and Spike Lee are mulling a "He Got Game" sequel. The Clippers are reportedly considering Sasha Vujacic and Hedo Turkoglu as new roster additions. After a very productive stint with the Bulls, Andrew Bynum is on the verge of becoming a free agent (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10263481/andrew-bynum-contacted-eight-teams). * Pau Gasol survived yet another round of trade rumors, this time a deal that would have sent him to Cleveland (for Bynum) in little more than a salary dump. The Lakers held out for a bigger haul. Did they overplay their hand? * With his contract on the verge of becoming fully guaranteed, the Lakers opted to waive Shawne Williams. We take a look at his brief time as a Laker. * If Kobe was back on the court just barely before the All-Star Game, would the league actually force him to participate? * We introduce a new segment called "Indefensible Positions," where we each attempt to make a case for absurd scenarios involving the Lakers. * It's time for AAK!!! What are our strangest phobias? What musical artist would we most like to record with? Which current or former Laker would we send to North Korea with Dennis Rodman?